How do I solve 14 down in Express Cryptic 20260520?

Question

Accepted Answer

14 down reads "Apes took off, having succeeded, as you might say" (2,2,5 letters); the answer is SO TO SPEAK. It's an anagram clue: the answer is a rearrangement of letters supplied by the clue itself. Look for an indicator like 'mixed', 'broken', 'cooked', or 'wild', and find a phrase whose letters add up to the answer's length. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

Apes took off, having succeeded, as you might say (2,2,5)

14D — Apes took off, having succeeded, as you might say (2,2,5) — SO TO SPEAK